Shades of Gray
by 123nnana
Summary: A series of one-shots about moments throughout Luke and Thalia's lives. At the end of the day, they'll always have each other no matter how far they might be. Because true love can escape the boundaries of time and distance. Thuke. /DISCONTINUED/
1. Slash Thrust Shield

_Chapter I: Slash Thrust Shield_

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_Song Choice: Too Late To 'Pologize by One Republic ft. Timbaland_

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_Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted, it is changed. If it cannot be changed, it is accepted. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_

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Slash. Thrust. Shield.

Classic battle procedures. She'd been learning them for months now, her first months at Camp-Half Blood. She had been excited, overjoyed in fact, waiting for when she would get a quest and get to try them out on real monsters.

She supposed that someone _could_ argue the fact that he was a monster. But for her he was a sight for sore eyes.

Luke.

Though she hadn't expected a cliché, tearful reunion (crying wasn't her thing), she hadn't expected a duel to the death either. And yet here she was with her shield, Aegis, with its gruesome carving of Medusa's head in the center, and her spear in her hands. Slash. Shield. Thrust. Fighting _him_.

Luke.

She had fought him many times before, but never like this. They had never really been trying to hurt each other, much less kill. But time had changed them, and it hadn't changed Luke for the better.

He was grinding his teeth, sweat dripping from his face even in the cold, December weather. His sword, Backbiter, in hand, he jabbed at her. Slash. Thrust. She pointed her finger at the sky and lightning came down from it, just missing him. She wasn't trying to barbecue him. She knew she couldn't.

"Yield!" she yelled, forcing her shield in front of her, and feeling a tiny bit of satisfaction as he stepped back, wincing from its terrifying aura. "You never could beat me, Luke."

"We'll see, old friend." And he pressed on.

Some friend. At that moment she felt hatred, a deep, strong hatred. She had done so much for him, and this was how he repaid her?

"_May I speak with thou alone?" the Huntress asked, her silver circlet glinting as she turned around and headed into the tent, not bothering to wait for an answer._

_Oh, how Thalia hated stuck-up brats like her. You'd think 2 thousand years could have taught her manners._

_She stepped forward, but Luke grabbed her hand, pulling her back. Electricity coursed through her as she stared into his beautiful blue eyes._

"_I don't like this." He whispered to her. "These girls seem like freaks. I mean, who says 'thou', anyway?"_

_She rolled her eyes. "That might have something to do with the fact that she's 2 thousand years old, Luke. Don't worry; she said she just wanted to talk."_

_Luke seemed reluctant, but he let go of her hand and nodded._

_She stepped into the tent to find the Huntress standing still as stone, watching her with cold eyes._

"_Thalia Grace."_

_Thalia stiffened. No one called her by her mother's surname. No one knew about it, not even Luke._

"_Yes?" she replied curtly. Something about this girl made her feel angry inside._

"_This boy, Luke Castellan. He travels with thou?"_

"_Um, yeah."_

_She sighed and shook her head. "Thalia Grace, how would thee like an opportunity to be immortal, to never age, get sick, never die unless killed in battle. To go around the world hunting monsters, knowing that they will never be able to hurt you as long as you bear the blessing of Artemis."_

_The blessing of Artemis? Thalia tried to understand what she was saying._

"_What's the catch?" she asked warily._

"_There is no catch. All thou has to do is swear off boys for good. To be a maiden for good. To be united within the sisterhood of the Hunters."_

"_What do you mean be a 'maiden' for good?"_

_Zoë let out an impatient sigh. "Thou must stay a virgin for good."_

_Thalia felt heat creep up to her face. "Uh…um…–"_

"_I shall let thee consider the offer, Thalia Grace. But know this. It is a great honor to serve Artemis, to travel with her and assist her in her hunt. She is the greatest goddess."_

_Thunder crackled after she said that, but she did not seem troubled. In fact, Thalia swore she saw the Huntress smirk as she left the tent._

_A Hunter to Artemis. Going around the world slaying monsters, her favorite pastime, without the threat of being killed. The Hunters of Artemis were strong and graceful, with that silvery glow around them. There was no way they could be killed in battle easily._

_She thought about the rush she got when she sliced up a monster, that feeling when she had her spear in her hand. What more could she want?_

_But she knew the obvious answer to that question. Luke._

_She couldn't leave him. Not after all this time they had spent together, after everything they had been through together. It wouldn't be fair to anyone, especially Thalia, if she joined the Hunters while she was in love with Luke._

_Zoë stepped back inside of the tent, and this time was accompanied by Artemis._

"_Well, young maiden? What is your decision?" she asked._

_Thalia took a deep breath. "No." she spoke so quietly she was barely heard._

"_What?"_

"_No, thank you. I…don't think I want to become a Hunter."_

_The goddess stared at the Daughter of Zeus, scrutinizing her face. "Very well," she said at last, "if that is what you wish."_

_Thalia nodded and left the tent. She felt someone grab her arm as she started back to where she, Luke and Annabeth had made camp._

_"Thou__ has made the wrong decision, half-blood. It would be an honor to serve my goddess." It was Zoë._

_Thalia started to get angry. "I bet it would, but as you can see, I'd rather not join your little group."_

_The Huntress narrowed her eyes. "Watch thy tongue, Thalia Grace. Perhaps thou doesn't know what it means to insult a goddess."_

"_I do, thanks. Now could you please let go of my arm."_

"_May I know thine reasons first?"_

"_Do I have to have reasons? I just don't want to, okay? Tell your stupid goddess that she can't make me."_

_Zoë's eyes flared, and she gripped Thalia's arm harder. "Impudent half-blood. If Artemis was here, she would have turned thy into a jackalope. Never speak of her like that again."_

_Thalia rolled her eyes. "Whatever."_

_Zoë gave her a cold smile. "He will let thou down, eventually."_

"_What?"_

"_This boy, Luke Castellan. He will disappoint thou sooner or later."_

_Thalia freed her arm from the Huntress's grasp. "Shut up. You don't know anything. Just because your dumb goddess and the rest of your little cult think boys are unreliable doesn't mean it's true. Luke will never let me down."_

_Zoë smirked. "As thy says." She turned around and headed back into the tent._

If only she had accepted then. If only she had believed Zoë before. How different she was now then she was back then.

But Artemis and Zoë were still wrong. Boys weren't unreliable.

Luke was.

She just realized that they had backed away from the main battle while they were fighting. They were just at the edge of the cliff, and she could barely see Percy or Zoë fighting in the distance.

She held up her shield and prepared for the blow of Backbiter. It never came.

Cautiously, she lowered her shield. Luke stood there, with Backbiter on the ground and his hands in the air.

"Please, Thalia," he pleaded, "I just want to talk."

She didn't let go of her weapons. "Talk." She spat.

He sighed. "You always were so stubborn," he muttered. "Thalia, I know you think I betrayed but just hear me out, okay? The gods never did anything for me. Hermes left me and my crazy mom all alone, he never even told me what was wrong with her. What use do I have for such a father? Why does any kid in the world have to suffer with having such parents?"

Thalia sneered at him. "Is that the speech you give all your new recruitments?"

"You're not a recruitment, Thalia. You're my friend, my best friend, and –"

"Was!" she yelled, getting all up in his face. "I _was_ your best friend. That was until you betrayed me, Annabeth, and just about everyone else at camp!"

He got angry, and raised his voice as well. "I'm doing all of this for everyone at camp! When Kronos is in power and all of those stupid gods **-**thunder crackled in the sky above**-** are gone we'll all have better lives!" He took a moment to catch his breath. "Please, Thalia," he pleaded again,"Don't you remember all those times we talked? All those times we cursed the gods? Our fathers have done nothing for us. They have no right to rule the world!"

Thalia eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. "I–"

She never got the chance to finish, because then, Luke crushed his lips to hers, and she forgot everything. Everything but him.

Slowly, she relaxed in his arms, as the sounds of battle melted away.

He stopped kissing her and pulled back. "Join me, Thalia. Soon we will be able to storm Camp-Half Blood, and then Olympus itself. All we need is your help."

Thalia hesitated. She loved him. She still loved him, even after all he had done. But love wasn't enough for her to betray her friends like he had done.

Her eyes full of pain, Thalia whispered, with all the voice she had left, "You aren't Luke. I don't know you anymore." And with that she leveled her spear and struck. He stumbled, caught off guard, but managed to regain his balance before he toppled over. His shirt had been ripped open, and there was a bloody gash on his chest.

"I'm sorry Thalia." He whispered.

And then they started again. And as she slashed, thrusted, and shielded herself against Luke's blows, Thalia couldn't help but think about how Zoë had been right after all.


	2. You'll Never Know

_Chapter II: You'll Never Know_

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_I don't really know a good song for this chapter, but if you speak/understand Hindi, I would recommend listening to _Tu Jaane Na_ by Atif Aslam, for the last part after the line break._

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_"Moving on is easy. It's what you leave behind that makes it hard." - Bill Keane._

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Luke laid down on the bed and took a deep breath. Stupid boat, rocking around on the stupid sea. He wasn't a child of Poseidon. Boats were just about the last things he would like to be on.

A knock on the door made him sit upright.

"Come in," he said wearily.

Ethan Nakamura opened the door and stepped inside the room. "Um, Lord Atlas told me tell you we'll be arriving at Mount Othrys shortly."

"'Kay," he replied, and Ethan left the room.

Mount Othrys. Jackson and the rest of his crew would probably be coming there soon, and, though he was obligated to go and make sure the General's plan was carried out, he really just felt like taking a sick day and waiting the battle out in his room. She was the last person he wanted to see right now.

She didn't get it. No one did. The gods were their parents, but that still gave them no right to do what they were doing. Their world was crumbling, and all the gods could do was sit on their stupid thrones and watch it happen, knowing that none if it affected them at all. They'd still be immortal, living their happy lives. Who gives a damn if their children are being chased by monsters, if their children have parents and yet are still living like orphans? In a stupid camp where all demigods are brainwashed into believing that their parents are the most wonderful beings in the universe. Well, they're not. Never have been, never will. Luke thought that at least _she_ would understand.

Thalia.

Her death was his eye-opener. He always knew that the gods were good-for-nothing fools who cared about nobody but themselves, but Thalia's death had been the last straw. Zeus could have saved her if he wanted to. He could've sent a lightning bolt to fry all of the monsters. Anything. But he didn't. He didn't give a damn whether Thalia lived or not. He did such a great thing by turning Thalia into a pine tree. Who doesn't want to be turned into a tree? Thalia must be feeling really grateful to her father. Not.

But yet, even after all that had happened to her, she still fought for the gods. Still cared about them. Just because Zeus was her freaking Dad didn't mean he had the right to do all of those things to her! Just because _his_ father was Hermes didn't mean that he could do whatever he wanted and still get away with it. Luke would get revenge. On all of them.

And Thalia would help him. She was his only friend, his best friend, maybe even more. He knew he could convince her to help him. They used to talk all the time about how the gods didn't deserve to be in power. What had Chiron done to her to make her stop believing in that?

This was America, after all. Freedom of speech, right to democracy, all that jazz. So how come none of the kids at Camp-Half Blood, how come _Thalia _didn't realize the injustices the gods were doing against them. They had no freedom of speech, because if they said anything they would be electrocuted. They had no democracy, because nobody _chose_ for the gods to rule the world. They just _did_.

You couldn't trust the gods. Any of them. Even Ethan Nakamura's mother, Nemesis the goddess of revenge, had demanded something from him in return for joining the Titans. She demanded an eye from her own _son_, who joined the rebellion only because of her.

They all had different reasons for fighting this war.

Luke was fighting it so that new demigods wouldn't have to face the cruelties of the gods like he, Annabeth and Thalia had. He would make world a better place. For Annabeth. For Thalia.

She would join him. They'd bring down the gods together. The prophecy would come true right on time, when Thalia turned sixteen in two days's time.

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_Okay_, Luke thought. _I take it back. I love that ship! I want to be back on it. Anywhere but here._

This place gave him the creeps. He could hear the sounds of tortured souls screaming in the distance, and smoke filled the air, making it hard to breathe. The river churned before him, black and thick and pretty gross looking, littered with dreams that had been left behind when souls entered the Underworld. Why was he doing this again?

_Because the gods are still in power_, Kronos's voice said in his head,_ So that we can bring them down once and for all._

Oh, right. He took a deep breath, thinking of a place to have his mortal spot, when it hit him. Under his armpit. It would be pretty hard to strike there on accident, and few would do it on purpose. Closing his eyes, he stepped forward and into the River Styx.

Pain.

It hit him like a bulldozer. So much pain he could barely take it, and he desperately wished to be out of the water. He stood, knees wobbling, for a few more seconds until he fell into the churning black current. He was going to die. He was never going to see Olympus in ruins, never going to see the gods heading to Tartarus. Never going to see his father's face again. Never going to kiss Thalia again.

Thalia. He could still smell her fresh pine scent, like she was right in front of him. The smell gave him the strength to open his eyes, and what he saw in front of him made no sense. It was Thalia, her spiky black hair falling down to her shoulders, a smile on her face. She raised an eyebrow at him sprawled in the river and he stood up, strength suddenly coursing through his veins. She smirked.

And then he burst out of the river, his skin red and stinging like a cut drenched in Germ-X.

Thalia wasn't the child of the prophecy after all. She wasn't his key to victory. She hated him, wanted him dead, nearly killed him because she cared more for the gods than for him.

No. That wasn't true, and he knew it. She was pro-gods, but she was still his friend. She was still his love, no matter how different their paths might be. They could never be together, she would never know how much he cared for her, but that would be okay.

She'd never know how much he loved her. Would never know how he would do anything for her, how everything he was doing and would do was all for her. But that was okay too.

Leaning back against the cold walls of Hades, his skin returning back to normal color, Luke realized that everything would be okay. Because Thalia had been there when he needed her. She always would be. And that made everything just a shade brighter.


	3. Sacrifice

_Chapter III: Sacrifice_

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Song Choice: _New Divide by Linkin Park_

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_"A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it." - Oscar Wilde_

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"You're making a mistake."

"I could say the same to you."

Luke knew that it must have cost Thalia a lot of pride to come here and see him. They were in a forest somewhere near Camp-Half Blood, where the Hunters were staying at currently. Thalia had snuck out here to see him, and Luke had been ecstatic to hear that she wanted see him. But now he knew that it was only so that she could convince him to give up his efforts to bring Kronos back to power.

Because she was brainwashed. By Chiron, by her father, by everyone at that accursed camp. Luke had broken free of their lies, and was trying to make sure that this never happened again, that no young demi-god would go to Camp-Half Blood and be brainwashed to condone all of the gods' cruelties. Thalia just couldn't understand that.

"How can you do this? Turn your back against your friends, your family? Your _father_?" Thalia said to him.

"Don't talk about him!" He snapped at her. "He's the reason I'm doing this! Can you really call Hermes, the man who never did anything for me and my mother, my _father_? Well, I can't! Father's are supposed to be there for their kids, which is something that Hermes has never done!"

"He's your family, regardless of what he did or didn't do. And you don't turn your back on family." Thalia's voice was impatient, and Luke saw a hint of anger in her electric blue eyes. "Or have you forgotten that so easily?"

"I'm not going to give up everything I believe just for a family that's never done anything for me."

"Family is family Luke! Are you really going to ruin your family again?"

"What do you mean again?" Luke nearly yelled at her in frustration. He didn't how to convince her.

"Me and Annabeth, Luke. We were your family, and you turned your back on us. You left us, and your talking about how Hermes never did anything for you? You're such a hypocrite!"

Luke took a deep breath and shook his head. "I'm trying to make life better for her, for you, and for all the other demigods that are brainwashed by the stupid go-"

"Stop it!" Thalia yelled at him, her eyes furious. "The gods have their faults, but so does your precious Lord Kronos. Do you _really _think that life would be any better with him in power?"

_Bite your tongue_, Luke heard Kronos say in his mind, _insolent girl_.

"Anything would be better than this." Luke said bitterly.

Thalia heaved a frustrated and sigh and grabbed Luke's face, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "Tell me one thing Luke," she whispered, her breathing lingering on his face, "What's going to happen in this war you're planning to wage against the gods? What are you going to do with the demigods who refuse to surrender? Kill them?"

Luke averted his eyes. "I'll do what I have to."

"That's what I thought." She let go of him and leaned back against the trunk of a tree. "How is killing innocent demigods going to help them? You do realize that there's ten-year olds living at that camp? That they're going to be fighting too? Are you going to kill them to-"

"Yes yes yes!" This time, it was Luke's turn to cut her off. "I'm going to do whatever it takes! Sacrifices have to be made in order for change to come! You can't pay attention to little details like that, you just have look at the bigger picture!"

Silence.

"Little details?" Thalia asked finally, her voice steely and calm. "I don't think those kids think of their lives as little details. In fact, they think of them as the biggest detail. So do their friends, their families. Or do you think you're so much better than everyone else that their lives are nothing compared to yours?"

"I didn't say that." Luke knew all of the sacrifices that would have to be made in order for Kronos to be put in power. All the innocent lives that would be wasted. But there was no alternative. Change had to be made, and this was the only way. "I have to do this."

"No you don't Luke!" Thalia's voice sounded desperate, broken, a way that Luke had never heard her voice before. "You _don't_ have to do this. You can _stop_ all of this, right now."

Luke grabbed Thalia's shoulders, and her eyes widened, taken aback. "Give me one reason, Thalia. Give me one reason that I should go back to Camp-Half Blood and act like the gods are saints." And truth be told, he wanted her to give him a reason. He_ wanted _her to convince him to come back, to not waste so many innocent lives.

_Watch yourself_, Kronos warned.

"Because they're your family." She whispered, her eyes defiant as she stared at his face. They were nose to nose now, both of them fuming, trying to convince the other.

"I don't care. I'm not going to let them do whatever they want to demigods just because they're my FAMILY!" He was nearly shouting at the end, and Thalia knew then that there was nothing she could do to convince him. "Are you really just fighting this war for them because they're your family?" Luke asked incredulously.

"Yes." Thalia whispered. "Because I know that family is the most important thing in the world. And I'm not going to waste it. And," her voice hardened again, "because I know that Kronos ruling the world is going to be 10 times worse than whatever the gods are doing."

Luke let go of her. "Think whatever you want. I'm over trying to convince you."

"The feeling is mutual." Thalia stood up, grabbing her quiver and arrows and turned to leave. "And Luke," she turned her head back to look at him, and he was startled to see the glimmer of tears in her eyes, "Just remember, if I have to fight you on the battlefield, I won't hesitate to kill you. Just like you don't mind killing all those innocent half-bloods."

She walked away, and Luke watched her figure retreating into the darkness, moonlight shining on her long black hair, wanting nothing more than to grab on to her and never let go.

She was the first sacrifice he'd have to make in this war. And Zeus knew she wouldn't be the last.

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**It seems fate did not plan on me abandoning this story. While I was staring at the Google homepage, bored out of my mind, a sudden inspiration hit me, and this was created. Wait, that's not all! I also randomly came up with a bunch of different one-shot ideas, and decided to try out an idea given to me by a reviewer by the name of "Wolf Chorus." Thanks for the ideas, and stay tuned!**


	4. Compromise

_Chapter IV: Compromise

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_Song Choice: Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park

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_"You gotta do what you gotta do." - Anonymous

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A dozen emotions played through me as I gazed at the pine tree. Love, hate, fear, remorse. Love for Thalia; hate for the gods; fear for what I was about to do; and remorse for what could have been.

I loved Thalia. Sadly, this realization came to me after she had been treefied, so I couldn't even act on my impulse. And somehow, my love for her seemed to fuel my hate for the gods even more.

Was there a difference between a between a tree and a human? Yes. Yes there was. A big one. A gargantuan one.

So why was it that my best friend, who was a human I might add, was now a tree?

Oh, that's right! Because Zeus, the kind and ever loving father had turned her into one! He couldn't have just, I don't know, zapped the monsters away, now could he have? No, they only way to save his daughter was to preserve her as a tree. That makes so much sense.

I don't know why I was thinking this at that certain moment. Maybe to convince myself once again that what I was doing was right.

Poisoning Thalia wouldn't do anything. She was already dead.

But I knew that was wrong, no matter how much I might try to convince myself. Thalia was still alive, even if her heart wasn't beating.

And then an idea struck me. I would let Jackson take the Golden Fleece after healing Kronos. That way Thalia would still be alive, and so would Lord Kronos.

_That's not possible_, Kronos said to him, _you cannot let the half-bloods keep the Fleece._

But for the first time, I decided to do something against Kronos. When it came to Thalia, I just couldn't compromise.

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**I know it's super short, but I thought it'd be better this way. Short and bittersweet. **


	5. Discontinued

**Author's Note**

I am so very sorry, but I will not be continuing this story. My heart's just not in it anymore, and I know you guys wouldn't want me to write some half-baked story for you that no one's really happy with. I normally wouldn't do this to a story, but since this is a series of one-shots and there's no plot left uncompleted, I decided to just drop it.

I'm sorry if any of you really enjoyed my one-shots, but I just don't feel up to it anymore.

One again, sorry.

-Sarvi


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